Summary: Aoshi and Misao are happily married? That should've been the case, but Misao realizes that she was just deluded by that fantasy. Oh, they were married all right, but not happily. What happened? That's what she is going to figure out. A/M.

Warning: ermmm, a little lime here, but not enough to bring it to the R section. :D

Happily Ever After? Hardly.

By Tesuka- chan

Chapter 7

The Not-so-evil Stepsisters

You're a coward, you know.

Who said that? I looked around the darkness, but it was useless. I couldn't see a thing. It was totally black… no light, no shadows. So this is how being blind feels like.

You're a coward.

Who do you think you are? I am brave, braver than most women my age! I've traveled all over Japan on my own and I faced every struggle, every problem I've come across!

It laughed. That voice sounds so familiar…

Everything except… him. You ran away. Like the first time. You didn't even –

STOP IT! I screamed. I blinked rapidly. I knew that I was blinking because I felt my eyelids moving. My legs began to move. I was running, running so fast.

You don't know anything! You don't know me!

Oh, but I do… I know everything about you.

Suddenly, I could see a gray spot amidst the sea of black. It became lighter and brighter, until it became unbearably white. I looked away for a moment, shielding my eyes.

You know why, Makimachi – no, Shinomori Misao?

My arms fell, heavy as lead, and I had no choice but to look towards the light. But I must've been hallucinating... it can't be… it couldn't be…

I am you.

I saw myself. The same hair, the same eyes, the same petite frame. But there was something wrong, so horribly wrong with the image. The image – me – was smiling evilly, the mouth contorted into a disgusting sneer that was impossible for a normal human. And her legs – my legs – were bone-thin, and huge blue veins were bulging, pulsating on the surface.

Horrified, I lifted my hand to my face, and the image did as well. Then it stood up, its legs barely supporting it, and walked towards me. Its cold hands touched my cheek. I was so repulsed that I couldn't speak.

I am you. You ran and you ran… and these scars are proofs. These veins are pain. These legs are weaknesses. You are a coward, and you will be me someday. You will be…

I can't! I won't! I –

NO!

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I woke up with a start.

I was breathing heavily, my eyes wide open in panic. I lifted my hand to my hair and realized its disheveled state. I ran my fingers along the length of it before I realized that I was reaching for my braid, the braid that I had cut.

I missed it. I missed my former life.

But there's no going back now, especially after last night when I permanently made sure that I won't go back. I'm such a fool.

I sighed, shaking away such thoughts along with the lingering odd dream I had. What was it about? I couldn't remember it much… I shrugged, looking out of the window. It was still early dawn, the sun a white disc in the horizon. I shook off the covers, knowing that there was no way I was ever going to go back to sleep now, even though I found it so hard to sleep early last night.

I sighed. I don't want to remember that. Well, it's not like I've forgotten it anyway so there's nothing to remember. His touch, my yearning feelings, his kiss…

I needed a bath. Preferably a cold one.

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I looked up at the sign of the public bath house.

Steaming Seduction.

WHO THE HELL NAMES THEIR BATH HOUSE 'STEAMING SEDUCTION'???

Kami-sama, it sounds like a kitschy brothel house or something. Eck. Darn it… but I had no choice. It was the only bath house in this place and there was no way in hell I'm going to take a dip in a cold river in this weather… it's damned freezing! For the hundredth time that morning, I sneezed. I sighed in defeat. I'm going in.

I held my breath, stiffened my spine, and marched in.

It was so steamy inside that I couldn't see the counter. I squinted and looked around, trying to see into the hazy whiteness of the room. I even outstretched my hand lest I bump into something.

Which I eventually did… weird, what is this soft thing? Is it a new sponge or…

"Ohohoho! Aren't you the cute one!"

And like some sort of heavenly intervention, the steam finally thinned and parted, and I saw myself standing face to face with a very tall woman. A very tall woman with huge breasts. Appalled and embarrassed, I retracted my hand and stuttered, "Go-gomen! I couldn't see and – "

"Ohohohoho! You would like to bathe, yes?"

"Hai but – "

"Sakura! We have a guest! Lead him to the public men's bath."

"WAIT! I'm not – "

"Oh, you want private bath? Sakura! Lead him to the back! He might want some… company."

"But I really don't want – "

"Ohohoho! You don't like company? Tsk, tsk… very well! We shall give you your privacy!" Then the voluptuous woman pushed my agitated self forward, indicating that I should follow the girl wearing the pink kimono. Before I knew it, I was left alone in an outdoor bath with steam crawling everywhere.

I blinked. Well, that was odd. I guess my disguise worked too well. I sighed, shrugging my shoulders. Well, it doesn't matter anyway… if this is private then I can still take a bath and no one will see. Then again, if there IS another person here, we won't be able to see each other because of the amount of steam. But still… just to make sure…

I trudged around the bath, making sure that not a soul was here with me. Satisfied, I finally took off my clothes and plunged into the water.

And I gasped. 

There was… a thing under the water! I quickly stood up, the water reaching up to my waist. The thing was getting bigger. It was surfacing! Kami-sama!

I looked around for a weapon, needing to act quickly. My kunai! I grabbed it from the pile where my clothes are and held my arm up over my shoulder. Whatever this thing was, I am certainly going to kill it for disturbing my bath time!

Bubbles formed in the surface… it was coming up fast…

… And I was suddenly staring back at two astonished yet amused blue eyes.

"EEEP! PERVERT!" I screamed, while tossing my kunais at the man. The absolute NERVE of that guy, peeping at me while I'm taking my bath! I saw a blur as the pervert dodged my kunais. More than a little bit angry now, I launched myself towards the uncouth creature, arms raised and ready to beat the pulp out of the asshole when my thin wrists were suddenly caught and my waist encircled by an arm. I struggled fiercely, crazy thoughts of rape and murder going around my head. After traveling for a year, after escaping from thugs and robbers, is this how I'll end up?

OVER MY DAMNED, DEAD BODY!

I struggled more, the water splashing around us. I won't die without a fight! I won't! I'll beat the shit out of him, I'll castrate him, I'll chop him up and feed his body parts to the wolves, I'll –

A shadow rose over me.

Oh, Kami-sama, I won't see Aoshi again.

I felt his lips on mine. I… know these lips, this passion…  I stopped struggling, my green eyes wide open. What I saw took my breath away, if it wasn't already gone because of the kissing.

Long, wet bangs framed half-lidded blue eyes. Rivulets of water streamed down his smooth face. His dark hair was plastered on his neck, curling a bit because of the steam. I was stiff with surprise as he slowly raised his head. The only thought running along my brain was – he's so hot.

"Are you calm enough, Misao?" He murmured, his low voice silky and husky with restraint.

I blinked and realized our rather indecent position. I hastily pulled my arms away from his bare shoulders and untangled my legs from his. My face burning with embarrassment, I squatted under the water, retaining some sort of modesty. Oh no… what the hell is happening anyway?!

He chuckled, leaning back against the side of the bath. "Nothing I haven't seen before, Misao," He said as my face reddened yet again. "But I have to admit, you've grown in more places than one."

Ignoring that comment, I finally found my voice and snapped at him. "What are you doing here?!"

He raised an eyebrow. "I'm taking my bath."

"But this is MY private bath!"

"I believe that I got here first… but I don't mind sharing it with you. It's nothing new, right?"

"I – ARGH! Fine! I'm leaving!" I said, turning around and reaching for my clothes – they're gone! Wha- ?

"Looking for these?"

I whipped around and saw him raise my clothes. I was outraged! That he would resort to this… it's nothing short of petty! I gritted my teeth and raised my chin, keeping my cool. "You can have them then!" I declared and stood up, not caring if he saw my naked back, and grabbed a cloth to wrap my body in.

"There are men outside, you know." He said, his voice almost growling. I swallowed and continued my way towards the door. I didn't care! I just can't stand being this intimate with him again. It was confusing me too much, HE was confusing me too much.

"Stop, Misao."

I hesitated, my hand already on the door frame.

"Please I… I just want to talk to you." He said with an almost pleading note. Or maybe I just imagined it.

"I'm not going to talk about anything about the past, Shinomori."

"Well, I have a proposition then."

I looked at him over my shoulder. His face was as stoic as ever, but there was this heavily serious look about him. My mind screamed to get out of there and forget about him, while my heart wanted to find out what was bothering him. I looked away from him, gripping the door frame, ready to slide it open. "I'm sorry… I can't."

"Are you running away again, Misao?" There was an edge in his voice.

That stopped me as well as angered me. Flashes of my nightmare came back and I couldn't help but shudder at the images. Running away… always running… you ran away, like the first time.

"I'm not running!" I faced him squarely now, my eyes blazing. I'm not! I'm not running this time! I walked towards him and sat on the edge of the bath, my feet dangling over the water. "Say it, then!" I said, challenging him.

"I'll go straight to the point – I'd like you to pose as my fiancée."

I blinked. That was straight to the point. His wife, namely I, will pose as his fiancée? I laughed, my stomach aching after a while. "That's funny," I retorted, "but I thought I'm already your wife!"

He looked at me piercingly with those crystal eyes. "Do you want to be my wife?"

"I… well…" I stammered, taken aback by the question. What did he mean? Did he want me back? But that's impossible! He didn't love me in the first place. He was forced to marry me just to sate his hunger for power. That's it! He's probably doing this to acquire more money and more power, even though I can't see the connection with myself posing as his fiancée…

"If this is another one of your power-grabbing schemes, I'm afraid I won't be able to help you." I said, my tone a bit too high. "Besides, why don't you ask the other women in the ball? I'm quite sure that they'll be more than willing to pose as your fiancée!" I sneered contemptuously.

For a moment there, I thought I saw a glint in those eyes, but it was gone before I could even figure out what it meant. "I'm asking you because you know me very well. You can also hold up on your own, you are skilled in the martial arts, and you also have the looks. You can be of great help to me," he answered, his gaze expectant.

A sort of disappointed feeling rose inside me, but I pushed it away. I realized that he still didn't say why he needed a fiancée. "But what is it for?" I asked, exasperated.

He stayed silent, contemplating.

I finally burst. "You know, this is one of the reasons why I left! You don't explain anything to me! You act as if I'm still a little girl, as if I won't understand! Well, I'm sorry to disappoint you but I'm a woman now and I understand things far more than you ever will." I huffed. I could feel that my face was flushed with rising emotions. My hands were formed into fists at my side. I was really angry… oh why did I have to bump into him here, of all places, in the bath house?

thump thump thump

There was someone coming towards the door! I was distracted and before I knew it, I was dragged down to the bath and slammed against a firm chest. Aoshi hugged me tightly, whispering, "I'm all too aware that you're a woman." He then tilted my chin up and kissed me gently on the lips.

Oh.

I heard the door slid open.

"Aoshi-san, there is a man insisting to see – OH!" the woman exclaimed, obviously surprised at the scene before her eyes. I suppose we ARE indecent – with my reddened cheeks rivaling the reddest apple and the sheet of cloth the only thing separating our naked bodies. It doesn't get more indecent than this. Panicking, I tried to push away but iron arms held me in place.

Another voice permeated the scene.

"Ah, Aoshi-san! I see you've found a wife, perhaps?"

I couldn't see the face at first, but I could feel Aoshi tense up at the voice. "What are you doing here, Danosuke?"

The man stepped forward. He was quite handsome, in a devilish sort of way with his dark looks and golden eyes. Judging by his suit, he's probably one of those westernized businessmen. I blushed when he turned his gaze at me, a glint in his eyes.

"I just wanted to ask if you will be able to make it later?" He was haughty and dangerous. I didn't like him one whit.

"Yes. I already sent you a messenger." Aoshi voice was cold.

"I see. Well, I wanted to add that it will be a small affair of sorts, a small party if you will call it." He smiled politely. "You should bring your little friend."

Hah! No thanks!

"My fiancée? She will definitely be there." I felt his arms tighten around me as my mouth gaped open upon hearing those words. I didn't agree with anything yet! The nerve!

"Good. Then I shall see you later." He bowed, and with another dangerous smile, he left along with the flustered woman. I noticed that she wasn't the one who led me here… I shrugged the thought off. The door slid close once again.

Silence.

Then I pushed him away from me, tightening the cloth around my body. "I didn't agree, you know!"

"You would have, eventually." He had that infuriating little smile-that-isn't-really-a-smile-at-all on his lips.

"What makes you so sure?" When did he get so bloody arrogant?!

"I know you very well, Misao." He said, amused. "Well? Are you going to play along?"

I sniffed, annoyed. "It doesn't seem like I have any choice, do I?"

"You do," he moved closer and hugged me tightly, as if not believing that I was there with him. "But thank you for helping me."

He… never really treated me this gently before. I lifted my arms to hug him back...

He used you. He's using you again.

… And put them back down on my sides. "Maybe you're just using me again," I whispered, not realizing that I said it out loud.

I felt his body stiffen. He let go of me, and I suddenly missed the warmth of his body. He turned around and went out of the bath in all his naked glory. The powerful muscles, the long arms and legs – he was still the same. I saw the old scars I loved, and was appalled at the new ones that he probably got in the past year. He fought again? But why?

Then they were all covered as he dressed into a yukata.

"Get dressed. You'll go back with me."

I warm water suddenly felt cold. Too cold. I got up and dressed, feeling his eyes on me the whole time. I felt confused again. These two days, the patience that I've acquired in the past year was tested. I don't know what I'm feeling. I steeled myself as I followed him outside.

One afternoon… one afternoon with him. The last one. Just let me have this last one with him… and I'll leave for good. And I'll disappear from Japan. For him. Because I… I…

I felt a warm hand behind my back as we ventured out of the bath house. I looked up at him, the sun shining down his face. He kept his eyes on the road.

For the first time that morning, I smiled.

But my heart wept.

Because I knew that I still love him.

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Two pairs of mischievous eyes followed the couple walking away from the bath house. One woman laughed.

"I hope this works."

"It will."

Two voices giggled until the couple was out of sight.

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Author's notes: Whew! That's done… :D Gomen for the long wait! Had to enroll for college… gah! Such a tiring thing to do! ;p Anyway, two more chapters and I'm home free! WHOOO! Thanks a bunch minna-san for the wonderful reviews! You're all the best! cheers Yeah! Oh, and please read and review… arigatou!